John raskins ladd



(No Model.)

' J.H.LADD,.

. STEAMGENERATOR. Patented Dec. 3, 1895.

. Q a a a 5&2 Jffadal, 3y

NITED STATES PATE T OFFICE.

JOHN HASKINS LADD, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

STEAM -G EN ERATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 550,831, dated December3, 1895.

Application filed August 15, 1895.

T0 at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN I-IAsKINs LADD, engineer, a citizen of theUnited States of America, residing at London, England, have invented newand useful Improvements in Steam-Generators, of which the following is aspecification. r

My invention relates to steam-generators, and is designed to provide ina more eflicient and economical manner than heretofore for thegeneration of steam by the burning of gaseous fuel in direct contactwith the water.

In the specifications of former Letters Patent of the United Statesgranted to J. H. IV. Stringfellow, Nos. 457,484, of 1891, and 467,266,of 1892, and in the specification of my application for Letters Patentof the United States filed July 13, 1895, there is described themanufacture of an improved gas, which is produced by chargingatmospheric air first with hydrocarbon vapor and then with vapor ofwater. Now I have found that such gas can be very advantageously usedfor generating steam by introducing it under pressure into a closedvessel and burning it in direct contact with and under the water.therein.

My said invention, therefore, comprises an improved method of generatingsteam by means of gas burned in direct contact with the water,consisting in first charging atmospheric air successively withhydrocarbon vapor and vapor of water, as described in the said formerspecifications, and then forcing the gas thus produced, under a suitablepressure, through a chamber located in the water to be converted intosteam and previously heated to a high temperature by means of such gas,in which chamber it becomes ignited, and discharging the gas so ignitedinto the water, the production and utilization of the gas in this mannerbeing carried on simultaneously, as hereinafter described.

My said invention also comprises a steamgenerator havin in thewater-space thereof a chamber lined with refractory material, a pipeconnected with such chamber for the supply of gas thereto, a pipe ortube extending from said chamber to the exterior of the generator forthe purpose of permitting the ignition of the gas in the chamber, and aperforated distributing-pipe or multiple j et-burner also connected withthe said chamber and Serial No. 559,416. (No model.)

7 whereby the ignited gas is diffused throughout the body of water,suitable controlling valves or cocks being provided for governing theflow of gas through the said pipes, respectively.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal centralsection; Fig. 2, a transverse section on the line 00 on, Fig. 1; andFig. 3, an under side view illustrating one form of my improved steamboiler or generator.

In the water-space of the generatorAis arranged a chamber B, lined withganister or other suitable refractory material. This chamberB isconnected with a supply-pipeO for the gas, witha tube D for permittingthe ignition of the gas, and with a perforated pipe E, whereby theignited gas is diffused throughout the water in the boiler. Thesupply-pipe C is provided with a controlling valve or cock 0 and with acheck-valve or back pressure valve F, and a suitable device, such as abundle of rods placed side by side, is arranged at G to prevent flashingback of the gas into the supply-pipe O. The tube D extends to theexterior of the boiler and is pro vided with a controlling valve or cookD.

The pipe E is also provided with a controlling valve or cook E, theoperating rod or spindle E of which extends through a stuffing-box E. Anarm or lever a on the said rod or spindle E is connected by a link I) tothe operating arm or lever c of the valve or cock 1), so that the twococks D E can be simultaneously operated. The said cocks are moreover soconstructed that when one ofthe same is open the other will be closed,and vice versa. When the cock C on the supply-pipe C is opened and theinterior valve E is closed and the exterior valve D opened, the gas canbe ignited at the latter and will flash back into the chamber 13 andburn therein. \Vhen the said chamber is sufficiently heated, the saidvalves D E are turned so as to close the ignition-aperture and open thepassage to the distribution-pipe E. The ignited gas will then beprojected through the perforations in the said pipe into the water.

The products of combustion in my improved generator mingle with thesteam and when used therewith for driving the engine or 1110- tor serveto maintain the heat of the steam on its way to the engine and in thecylinders.

A much larger proportion of the heat generated is therefore utilizedthan is the case where the products of combustion are allowed to escapeinto the atmosphere.

The pressure which I use for forcing the gas into the boiler may be thatwhich is employed for forcing the air through the gasgenerator describedin the said former spcci fications, the apparatus described in thosespecifications being connected by a pipe directly with the pipe orburner through which the gas is introduced into the water-space of theboiler. I prefer, however, to draw the air through the apparatus formixing it with the vapors of hydrocarbon and water in order to generatethe gas and to then force the gas thus generated into the boiler under asuitable pressure by means of a pump or compresser or other suitablecontrivance.

It is advantageous to provide the gas-supply pipe with ajet or burner topermit of the quality of the gas being tested before it is used in theboiler.

I can, if desired, use more than one perforated distributing-pipein theboiler, or I can use one or more coils of perforated pipe or othersuitable means for diffusing the ignited gas throughout the water.

That I claim is- 1. The improved method of generating steam by means ofgas burned in direct contact with the water, consisting in firstcharging atmospheric air successively with hydrocarbon vapor and vaporof water, and then forcing the gas thus produced, under the requisitepressure, through a chamber located in the water to 'be converted intosteam, and previously heated to high temperature by means of such gas,in which chamber it be.- comes ignited, and discharging the gas soignited into the water, the production and utilization of the gas goingon simultaneously, substantially as hereinbefore described.

2. In a steam-generator, the combination of an igniting chamber in thewater-space thereof, a gas-supply pipe connected with said chamber, aperforated pipe or multiple-jet burner extending from said chamberwithin the water-space of the generator, a cook or valve between saidchamber and the perforated pipe or burner, and a pipe extending fromsaid chamber to the exterior of the generator and provided with acontrolling valve or cock to permit the ignition of the gas in saidchamber at starting, substantially as hereinbefore described.

3. In a steam-generator, the combination of an igniting chamber in thewater-space thereof, a gas-supply pipe connected with said chamber, aperforated pipe or multiple-jet burner extending from said chamberwithin the water-space of the generator, a cock or valve between saidchamber and the perforated pipe or burner, a starting pipe extendingfrom said chamber to the exterior of the generator and of sufficientinternal diameter to permit flashing back into the said chamber of thegas ignited at its extremity or mouth, a cock or Valve on said startingpipe, and means for simultaneously operating said cocks or valves sothat when one is opened the other is closed, substantially ashereinbefore described.

4. A steam-generator having in the waterspace thereof an ignitingchamber lined with refractory material, a gas-supply pipe c011- nectedwith said chamber, a pipe or tube ex tending from said chamber to theexterior of the generator for permitting the ignition of the gas in suchchamber, a distributing device or multiple-jet burner extending fromsaid chamber along the water-space of the generator, and controllingvalves or cocks for governing the flow of the gas through said pipesrespectively, substantially as, and for the purpose, hereinbeforedescribed.

5. Ina steam-generator, the combination of the igniting chamber B in thewater-space thereof lined with refractory material, the gas-supply pipe0 connected with the said chamber, the pipe D extending from saidchamber to the exterior of the boiler and provided with a controllingcock or valve, the perforated pipe or multiple-jet burner E fordischarging the ignited gas into the water, and the cook or valve Eoperated from the exterior of the generator, said chamber being tightlyclosed with the exception of the openings whereby it communicates withsaid pipes G, D and E, substantially as described.

JOHN HASKINS LADD.

IVitnesses:

DAVID YOUNG, ALEXANDER W. ALLEN.

